


Protect me from what I want

by seratonation



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Insomnia, Multi, Pre-ship, Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-02
Updated: 2012-10-02
Packaged: 2017-11-15 11:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/527020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seratonation/pseuds/seratonation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>None of them sleep well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protect me from what I want

**Author's Note:**

> Late night drabble written when I couldn't sleep. Title from [Ohnomoon's Sleeping Limbs](http://soundcloud.com/ohnomoon/sleeping-limbs).

When Bruce hears the sound of soft voices and the reassuring him of electricity he checks the time. 3.14am. He gets up anyway. Not like he was doing any sleeping himself.

He finds Natasha and Clint sitting in the living room, lit by nothing but the flickering TV screen.

Natasha is curled up tight, her arms around her knees. Clint, in contrast, is sprawled on the couch, legs spread, arms out, and the remote in one hand. The TV is muted but it was obviously an infomercial excitedly telling them about this magnificent vacuum cleaner.

Without a word, Bruce sits down, slowly, afraid to break their peace. Natasha watches him, her eyes strangely huge in the grey light. Clint doesn't even spare him a glance.

“Can't sleep?” he asks quietly.

“I don't like to sleep,” Clint replies, “Natasha won't.”

Bruce nods. He understands that. Not specifically, but it’s something he’s experienced. Sometimes being alone in your mind was too much to take. The thought of falling into the abyss of your subconscious keeps you clinging to the edge of awareness. 

“You’re lucky to have each other,” he finds himself saying.

Something flickers in Natasha's eyes and she blinks. He thinks he sees the hints of a smile there, but it could have been a trick of the light.

“You can have us, too,” she says, “if you want.”

And Bruce wants, so much it’s almost an ache. “I don’t think you would want.”

Clint gave him a sideways look and smirks. “No one has to know,” he says, “we're just not sleeping, together.”

Bruce has to smile at that. It’s beautifully elegant. “Maybe just for tonight,” he says.

But he finds himself there the next night, and the night after that. And if he falls asleep with his head in Clint’s lap or on Natasha's shoulder, well. It was easy to sleep when you aren't alone with your thoughts.


End file.
